The Finer Things
by thyme2read
Summary: Two years before the Dominion War, Senator Vreenak is attending a typical diplomatic function when something catches his eye. The story continues on Deep Space Nine, including the part with Vreenak's famous quote: "It's a FAAAAAAAAKE!" First published story.
1. Chapter 1: Introductions

It was a diplomatic function like any other. Boring speeches, everyone trying be important, false civility, the occasional veiled threat, etc. Senator Vreenak tried not to look too bored. The Romulan ambassador asked him to accompany him, and being naturally curious he accepted. In a way, it was also his duty. As head of the Tal Shiar he shouldn't miss an opportunity to gain information.

Vreenak, the ambassador, and several officers had just left a rather monotonous presentation on Interstellar Law, and were headed to the adjoining hall, where there would be music and refreshments.

After he acquired an unfamiliar drink (the only type being served at the moment), he sat next to his friend and tasted it. It was cool, fruity, and slightly alcoholic. A bit too sweet, he decided. The server, who was human, had called it "punch." As he took another sip, he surveyed his surroundings. Whoever planned the seating arrangement was not very knowledgeable. The Romulans were seated in between the Klingons and the Vulcans, none of whom got along very well. He grinned. It would be a small miracle if the evening closed without a scuffle of some sort. That would be amusing.

After listening for ten minutes to a heated conversation between two Klingons about whose battles were more glorious, he became bored again. He walked over to the table near the entrance and grabbed a program. In a few moments the concert would begin. First, there would be Vulcan instrumental, followed by Klingon opera, Earth classical, then Andorian and Romulan music. There would be an intermission, more refreshments, then more music. He decided that he would stay until the intermission then retire.

* * *

Aura took one last look in the mirror, then pulled out her violin and began to adjust it. She was really excited about tonight's performance. So many different cultures, each performing live some of the best they had to offer. She was especially looking forward to the Romulan music. This was a rare thing, since the Romulans were so exclusive.

When she was done, she set her instrument down and listened to the Vulcans' playing. Even though she was in the back, she could hear it fairly well. To her it sounded very oriental and calm. Much like the Vulcans themselves, she supposed. If she peeked around the corner, she could see the audience, and she noticed that there were several Romulans present. She had always been a bit too curious about Romulans, but she told herself this was mainly because they were so mysterious. One she recognized as the ambassador, but she wasn't interested in him. Another sat next to him, who she dismissed as middle aged, and around them sat several in military uniform. Before she could get a better look at their faces, she heard applause and the Vulcans began making their way in.

The Klingon opera began. It was forceful and exhilarating. In fact, many of the Klingons could hardly contain themselves and joined in the chorus. When it was over, Aura gathered up her instrument and made her way to the stage.

* * *

Vreenak was doing his best to endure the performances. The Vulcan melody was primitive and boring. The Klingon opera was abrasive, and although he found their enthusiasm rather comical, if you've seen one Klingon opera, you've seen them all. The Klingons would beg to differ, though, and were arguing amongst themselves again.

"The Batleth of Glory is the greatest."

"Koreth, have you gone deaf? Nothing can compare to Khaless's death scene."

"No, you drunken pahtahk! Mord, what do you say? Batleth or Khaless?"

"I couldn't care less. I'm a warrior. I have no taste for opera, just blood wine." The Klingons all burst into laughter.

Listening to those vulgar brutes, Vreenak struggled to keep a straight face. Why were Klingons always laughing? Crossing his arms, he sat back and steeled himself for another pathetic display as the humans came on stage.

He observed them curiously. The men all wore black for some reason, but the women wore many colors. Blue, white, emerald green, burgundy. He smiled to himself. He had heard once that to humans Romulans resembled mythical creatures because of their upswept ears and eyebrows. Elves, if he remembered correctly. Well, to Romulans, some humans, with their red blood and warm coloring, resembled overgrown fire sprites, particularly those that had red or yellow hair. He wondered for a moment if the infamous Commander Sela had been the result of similar reflections. Unfortunately, most of the women on the stage had brown hair. There was one blonde, but the blue and green tones she was wearing did not fit the fire sprite description.

He decided to pay less attention to the humans and more attention to the music. It was not as good as Romulan music, but then nothing was, so it wouldn't be fair to compare it with that. Overall it was rather pleasant, not lacking emotion like the Vulcan rubbish. He looked at the program again to see the name of the piece. _Bach – Orchestral Suite No. 2 in B Minor, Menuet and Badinerie. _Perhaps he would come back tomorrow night.

When the piece was finished, Aura and the other musicians stood and bowed. When she looked up, she noticed that the Romulans were the only ones not applauding. She felt a twinge of offense at their rudeness and left the stage.

As she put her instrument away, she wondered. Perhaps they were not being rude. Maybe it was just not Romulan custom to clap. Why should they be expected to react in the same way as as a human would? Although, all the other races had clapped. It was a little odd. Aura put those thoughts aside. She was feeling a little thirsty, so she decided to get some punch and join the audience for the rest of the evening.

As she took a seat, the Andorian music began. To her it sounded a little like something you would hear while watching a medieval play. She smiled as she imagined Andorians wearing Shakespearian attire, slapping each other's faces with their gloves.

"What?" Her blonde friend asked from the seat beside her.

"I'll tell you later," she whispered. When the music ended, once again, everyone applauded except the Romulans.

Aura stood up and went to refill her glass. "If it's not what I thought earlier, then they're extremely arrogant," she thought. "We'll see soon enough, the Romulan music is next." As she turned to go back to her seat, she nearly bumped into a Vulcan. "Oh, excuse me, sir!"

The Vulcan stumbled back a bit and caused a Klingon to drop his drink. There was a growl, and suddenly everyone was watching them.

"Vulcan! What is the meaning of this?" The Klingon thundered. For a moment Aura was speechless, but as the Vulcan blinked and fumbled for a reply she decided to step up.

"Oh, I'm sorry, sir, it was my fault. I nearly lost my balance and this gentleman was merely avoiding me."

The Klingon glared at her for a second, then gave her a toothy grin. "Had too much to drink, wench? Watch where you're going next time." All the Klingons erupted into laughter. The Vulcan muttered his own apology and disappeared. Aura felt her cheeks burning. All eyes were watching her as she made her way back to her seat. Lifting her head, she ignored them and the strong urge to run from the room. She had been looking forward to this night for far too long, and she was going to make the best of it.

Of course Vreenak had seen the whole thing, and he was rather surprised that she chose to resume her seat after being insulted in front of half the alpha quadrant. He sipped his drink again looked over the program curiously. There was her picture: Aura Miller, violinist. Yes, he believed he would return tomorrow night.

Aura was so absorbed in her own thoughts that she completely missed the music she had been so anxious to hear. People kept stealing glances at her, and the worst part was that she saw one of the Romulan officers point at her and whisper something, no doubt condemning, to his comrades. Aura blushed again until her face was the same color as her dress (deep red) and pretended not to notice. She was roused from her thoughts by loud approval coming from the Romulans. So! The arrogant imps only had ears for their own accomplishments! That was it. Hang them, and their stupid music.

By the time she reached her own room, she realized that she had contradicted herself. She always prided herself on being considerate of others and allowing for cultural differences. Yet just now she allowed herself to get worked up and had fallen into the very behavior she appalled. Though she had to admit that the Klingons and Romulans had been quite rude by Earth standards. Maybe she was wrong about the way she perceived them.

* * *

Cover art credit goes to TribalGraces. :) _Vreenak and Aura_ and can be found on the Deviant Art website.


	2. Chapter 2: Unwanted Attention

The next day Aura had nearly gotten over her embarrassment. She felt a little silly for getting so flustered. Tonight was going to be a good night, she told herself as she adjusted her hair comb. She was going to be playing one of her favorite pieces and she didn't care who liked it or not. She was wearing a coppery colored satin dress with a boat neck and elbow length sleeves. The dress was gathered at the waist with a jeweled pin and in the back there was a short train.

"Hey, Aura, do I look alright?" Her best friend asked anxiously.

"You look great, Catherine!" She thought her friend looked like a mermaid in her teal and sea green gown.

"Are you ladies ready to go yet? Whoa, Aura! You look . . . nice." said Garth, the orchestra's pianist. Garth seemed to have a crush on her lately, and she hadn't exactly told him off yet, since he was Catherine's older brother.

"Thanks," she replied, and grabbed her violin.

* * *

After consuming a few refreshments, Vreenak picked up another program and sat down to examine it. "Cardassian instrumental . . . Bolian classical . . . Ah, Earth. There she is, _Schubert – Trout Quintet_."

* * *

As soon as she put her instrument away, Aura retreated to the balcony for some fresh air.

"What's wrong?" It was Garth, again. Why couldn't she have a moment to herself?

Aura huffed. "Didn't you notice? Everyone was pointing at me, and the Romulans were being snobs again."

"Well, what did you expect? Everyone knows they're full of themselves. It's about time you woke up."

"What? Woke up?" He wasn't usually so blunt.

"Yeah, you think I don't hear all that foolishness you and my sister go on about? You seem to think one day some pointy-eared prince will fly up in a Warbird and whisk you away to happily ever after." As he spoke she could smell alcohol on his breath. Whatever he had been drinking, it was a lot stronger than punch.

"Garth, that's enough! I think you better go back to your room."

"I'll go back when I've said my peace!"

"What is your problem?"

"My problem is that you don't seem to notice how I feel about you. . ." Garth tried to grab her free hand, but when she jerked it away he stumbled. The drunken suitor fell off the balcony and into the fountain below, startling and splashing several dignitaries.

"Garth! You idiot!" she screamed after him. She was about to rush down there to make sure he was alright, but several attendants and security guards were already on the scene, so she didn't think it necessary. She didn't want to see him or anyone else right now. Once again she had drawn unwanted attention to herself. This evening just couldn't get any worse.

She turned her back to the ridiculous scene below. It was just too much. Stupid Garth, stupid evening, and stupid concert! Glancing down at her drink, she lost her temper and tossed it at the corner, just as someone rounded it.

"If you're trying to assassinate me, you should know that the Tal Shiar will hunt you down," rumbled a dry, gruff voice. It was none other than that middle aged Romulan who sat next to the ambassador. All she could do was stare in disbelief. "You might also want to find a more effective weapon," he quipped.

As he began to brush the droplets off his sleeve, Aura snapped out of her daze. "Oh, I'm so sorry, sir! I wasn't trying to hit you, I was just-"

"May I have the pleasure of knowing my assassin's name?" He walked over and stood next to her. Of course he already knew her name.

"Uh, . . .Aura Miller," she answered hesitantly.

"Senator Vreenak, delighted," he said with a slight bow.

"Please let me apologize, I wasn't-"

"I am well aware it was an accident, Miss Miller. Although. . ." he glanced over the balcony and grinned, "you seem to be a very hazardous person to associate with. And perhaps I am the one who owes you an apology-"

"For eavesdropping?" she interrupted. He seemed a bit offended. Realizing her mistake, she bit her lip and looked away.

"No," he said gruffly. "I meant for my conduct during the concert. I rather liked that piece that you played this evening."

"I would have never guessed. You didn't show as much." She was trying to keep the irritation out of her voice. Would he just finish and leave her alone?

"Well, that would have been unpatriotic of me. You see, as a Senator I am not always free to express my personal opinion publicly. It wouldn't be . . .prudent."

Politicians, it seemed, were the same no matter what planet they came from.

"Nonetheless, I must confess I've become rather curious about Earth music. I would like to hear more, but I simply don't have the time to explore it. You understand, I am sure."

She nodded, and he continued. "I would be very grateful if you could recommend some selections for me." The senator gave her a very dry, wrinkly smile.

Aura was feeling a little uncomfortable and somewhat repulsed, but she was also feeling a little guilty for throwing her drink at him. "Certainly, will you be here tomorrow night?"

"Yes. Until tomorrow then." He bowed again and left her.

"That was so odd." She thought, breathing a sigh of relief that he was gone. She decided make her way back to her own room.

Later that night, as she began to sort through her extensive collection, she wondered how long he'd been out there on the balcony. Had he heard her conversation with Garth? She hoped not. Then the whole assassination thing. What a humiliating mess! And she'd have to see him again tomorrow! She really didn't want to think about it anymore, so she decided to just pick the most popular and well known works for Senator Impertinent. She couldn't remember what he said his name was.

Meanwhile, Senator Impertinent was reviewing Miss Miller's background. However, he couldn't really find out much other than the basics: name, age, place of birth, etc. Educational history: Masters Degree in Musical Studies, and a minor in Interplanetary Relations. She had written a few papers, one on the universal language of music and another describing the similarities of various instruments, but the one that got his attention was about interstellar prejudice and stereotyping. In it Miss Miller had frequently cited Romulans and a few other races as victims of such stereotyping. Interesting. Moving on, the only other information he was able to gather concerned her career, various concerts that she had perfomed in, etc. But as far as he could tell, she was not married. Maybe something interesting could come from this conference after all.


	3. Chapter 3: Awkward Civility

The next day, the humans had to make an adjustment to their plans. They were supposed to play a piano concerto, but after Garth's unfortunate accident they decided on _The Blue Danube_. As Aura played, she no longer felt the scrutiny of the whole room. But whenever she dared to look at the audience, there was still one pair of eyes that watched her intently, as though he was trying to freeze her with an ice ray.

As soon as she was free, Aura made her way to the balcony. "Let's get this over with," she thought. She had had quite enough of this event. Thankfully this was the last day. As soon as Senator Impertinent showed up, she'd give him the music and head back to her room.

She didn't have to wait long before the Senator came striding toward her, accompanied by two officers. As he approached she stiffened.

"Miss Miller, good evening to you," he said cordially.

"And to you, Senator."

"Allow me to congratulate you on another outstanding performance."

"I'm glad someone enjoyed it." She said coolly, and handed him the disk.

"I'm afraid I must be leaving now. I have urgent matters to attend to on Romulus, but when I listen to this I will always remember the lovely lady who gave it to me," he said with a smile. She looked away over the balcony, feeling very awkward.

"You are too kind," was all she could manage.

"I regret very much that I was not able to become better acquainted with you. Until we meet again," as he spoke, he took her hand and kissed it. Aura was surprised to feel warmth in his hand, since his pallid complexion and icy eyes gave the overall impression of coldness. But the gesture still gave her the chills.

Vreenak and the officers turned and walked away, leaving a very uncomfortable female to wonder about the situation.


	4. Chapter 4: Intermission

Over the next two years, Senator Vreenak was not afforded much time to wonder much about the charming Miss Miller, as he liked to call her. At first, he had listened to the music she had given him rather frequently, and he had created an intel file for her which he would update periodically. However, with the outbreak of the Dominion War, he had become so occupied with negotiating the non-aggression agreement and reading intelligence reports that he had to put all amorous musings aside.

Initially, Aura had tried to put all thought of the conference behind her. But after she went over the sequence of events with her friend Catherine, who thought the whole thing was hilarious, she began to see more humor in it herself. For a few weeks, the unfortunate senator became the subject of countless jokes and ridiculous imaginary scenarios until the two friends gradually found something else to laugh about.


	5. Chapter 5: Deep Space Nine

"What is it now?" The senator asked, pinching the bridge of his nose wearily. He and his attendants were returning to Romulus after meeting with Weyoun, the Dominion leader, on the planet Soukara. In the Senate, Vreenak had been very vocal in his support of the Dominion, and Weyoun had repeatedly assured him that the Dominion held the Romulan Empire in high regard. Nevertheless, the Senator was grateful to be on the way home.

"We have just received a peculiar message from the Federation station Deep Space Nine."

Vreenak viewed the message. Indeed it was very peculiar. Captain Benjamin Sisko was urging him to make a secret trip to the station to discuss "gravely important matters." If Sisko wanted to talk to him, it must concern the war and the Romulans' involvement, but he doubted that a Startfleet Officer could provide him with anything he didn't already know. After all, the Tal Shiar was the most advanced intelligence agency in the galaxy, but he supposed it wouldn't hurt to hear the captain out.

The Senator sent a reply and notified the shuttle commander to set a course for Deep Space Nine. The commander informed him that they will arrive in three days. Good. Time to do some research.

When Vreenak was done reviewing all information available on Captain Sisko, he ran a report on all the recent events in the area. Nothing out of the ordinary. As the shuttle came closer to the station, he was able to tap into the visitor's log and find out who else was staying on the station. He skimmed over the entries, pausing here and there to review records on anyone who seemed suspicious. Then he read a familiar name. Could it be? He expanded the file. Yes, it was.

"Well, well. What have we here? The charming Miss Miller. I hope you haven't forgotten me, my dear, because I certainly haven't forgotten you."

Although it had been quite a while since he updated her intel file, he still thought about her from time to time. Occasionally he would imagine her playing her instrument or standing out there on the balcony, gazing at the horizon like some lonely princess. It was quite enchanting. He sat back and smiled as he recalled her conversation with that drunken buffoon.

_"Didn't you notice? Everyone kept pointing at me! And the Romulans were being snobs again."_

"Snobs indeed," he thought, and chuckled.

* * *

Aura, Catherine, Garth and Catherine's fiancée, a Trill named Gozen, were all strolling along the promenade. Gozen was a Starfleet officer and had just come back from the front lines a few days ago. It had been a terrible experience, but thankfully next week he would be assuming a less dangerous post. The four friends chattered away as they stopped occasionally to look at or purchase something.

"Catherine, let's go into this shop!" Aura proposed excitedly. It was a clothing store.

"Oh NOOO! You girls are gonna take forever in there," complained Garth. He looked to the Trill for help. Fortunately he didn't want to go in there either.

"Tell you what, why don't Garth and I go pick out a place to eat dinner, then we'll meet you back here in half an hour."

"Sounds good to me," said Catherine. She released her fiancee's arm and disappeared into the shop right after Aura. As they walked away the two guys talked about the similarities of clothing stores and black holes. Half an hour later, Aura and Catherine had tried on no less than twelve evening gowns and had narrowed their choices down to two each.

"If I may make a recommendation, Miss Collins, I would say that the ivory gown suits you perfectly," supplied Garak, the tailor.

"I think you're right. I'll take it, and the gold shawl." Garak beamed with approval.

"And I think I'll take the purple one. It's just so elegant," said Aura dreamily.

"An admirable choice, Miss Miller. I will have these delivered to you tomorrow morning. You ladies have been most delightful customers. Please come again." As Garak disappeared to do a few alterations, the guys returned to take them to dinner. Little did Aura know that while she was dining and chatting with her friends, a secret admirer was leaving a note in her apartment.


	6. Chapter 6: The Note

It had certainly been a memorable night. After shopping and dinner Aura and her friends all went to Quark's for a few drinks and games. They played a few rounds of blackjack, then Quark made a pass at Catherine and almost got beat up by her fiancée and brother. Odo, the security chief, decided to make one of his rounds just then and intervened. After they finally finished talking to security they decided to call it a night. When Aura got back to her room she discovered a note on her coffee table.

She read the curious note out loud again. "Miss Aura Miller. An acquaintance requests the honor of your presence at the (whatever section of the station that was). Please don't delay."

An acquaintance? Who in the world could that be? It couldn't be Garth, he'd given up on her after the fountain incident and was seeing someone else. She really had no idea. Don't delay. Did that mean she should go now? At this hour? It was almost 11:30.

Part of her wanted to turn the note over to security, and the other part wanted to solve the mystery herself. She chose the latter, since it was more exciting and she didn't feel like going back to security so soon. After adjusting her appearance a little she set out. When she reached the appointed place, a door opened and two Romulan guards stepped out. That in itself should have tipped her off.

"This way, please," one of them said. She could hear their footsteps echoing as she followed the guards down the corridor. The suspense was killing her. Who could it be? Not, what was his name? One of them rang the doorbell, and when the door opened they motioned for her to go in. Aura took a deep breath, pulled her shawl up over her shoulders and stepped into the room.

"Miss Miller. I see you got my note," said a familiar voice. She turned to see – oh, heck no! It was him!

"Senator!" she cried breathlessly.

"You haven't forgotten me, then. Won't you sit down?" He offered her a seat on the sofa as he sat in one of the chairs. After a moment she took it. He was looking at her expectantly, so she figured it was her turn to say something.

"I didn't know you were on the station, Senator . . .?" She waited for him to fill in the blank.

"Vreenak," he supplied, somewhat disappointed. "Officially, I'm not. I'm supposed to be on my way back to Romulus, but I was called here to discuss some secret matters."

"If it's supposed to be secret, then why am I here? Aren't you worried that I might tell someone?"

"No. Because if you told anyone I would have to remedy the situation. You wouldn't go and force me to order something unpleasant now, would you?"

"Are you threatening me?"

"Miss Miller, it would be unpardonable to threaten such a captivating young lady. Call it. . . persuasive reasoning. Oh, forgive me. Would you like something to drink? I'd offer you some kali-fal, but this is not the real thing and wouldn't do it justice." As he spoke he gestured toward a bottle of blue liquid on the table. "Perhaps you could suggest an Earth beverage?"

Aura didn't want to drink anything alcoholic, even if it was synthetic. Suddenly, she smiled as she remembered one of those silly scenarios her friend had come up with. It involved her and Vreenak sitting in one of those 20th Century soda shops and splitting a root beer float. What the heck, why not? And since he wasn't familiar with the treat, maybe she could put him on the spot for once.

"Alright. I could really go for a root beer float right now. But only if you get one, too, or I wouldn't enjoy it half so much."

Vreenak raised an eyebrow at the change in her attitude and went over to the replicator. "What was it called again?"

* * *

"So, what did you think?" She asked expectantly, when she finished her own float. She had refused to look at him until she was done. It wouldn't be polite to choke on her own laughter at him. Even now she was doing her best to suppress it.

"Unusual, but refreshing." In reality, he thought it was kind of dumb, since he had to fumble with both a spoon and straw, but this is the first time she had smiled in his presence and he didn't want to dampen her good humor.

"Is there anything like that on Romulus?" Surprisingly, she was beginning to feel more comfortable around him.

"No. There are similar drinks, but they are never combined with . . .ice cream?" She nodded.

After putting the empty glasses away, he decided to interrogate her a little. "So Miss Miller, what brings you to Deep Space Nine?"

"I'm just visiting some friends of mine."

"I see."

Aura turned the note over in her hand a few times as she tried to think of some more small talk. "This is so odd. Of all people I never expected to see you here, Senator."

"Well, I told you we would meet again, didn't I?" He gave her that same eerie smile that she remembered from the balcony. Time to get to the point. She looked him directly in the face.

"What do you want from me?"

This was not good. Every time he tried to advance, she'd recoil. He'd have to try a different approach. But it was getting late, and he had to meet Sisko in the morning. Perhaps he should let her go for now. "I will tell you, but not now. It is late. Can you come tomorrow afternoon?"

"I . . .guess so." She rose to leave.

He bid her goodnight, then added to himself, "Tomorrow, Miss Miller, you won't get away so easily."


	7. Chapter 7: Decisions, Decisions

The next morning Vreenak met with Captain Sisko, who spent the whole morning trying to persuade him that it was in the Romulan Empire's best interest to side with Starfleet against the Dominion.

Vreenak had always had a very low opinion of Starfleet officers, but he had almost begun to respect Sisko. He had made some very good points in his arguments, and seemed to be a very honorable and straightforward man. But as the discussion stretched into the afternoon and Vreenak remained unconvinced, Sisko began to grow anxious. Hesitantly, he presented the Senator with some very questionable evidence of an alleged Dominion plot to invade Romulus: a Cardassian data rod.

It was almost certain that the data rod was a counterfeit. Several factors led Vreenak to this assumption. First, there was Sisko's demeanor, which had subtly altered. He was less vocal and obviously trying to hide something besides his own anxiety. Then there was that very weak and vague story about how they had obtained the data rod. Nonetheless, Vreenak requested to examine the device, and Sisko relinquished it to him. He would take his time and have it meticulously scrutinized for even the slightest hint of forgery.

After Sisko left and the rod was being examined, Vreenak turned his thoughts the other matter at hand. It was now midafternoon and Miss Miller should be showing up soon. She would expect an answer from him about what he wanted. What should he tell her? Should he tell her that he admired her, knew everything about her, and liked her simplicity?

Another thing he liked about her was that she hadn't tried to lie to him. He would have known if she did. You don't spend your life in politics and intelligence without learning how to construct and detect falsehoods. Perhaps it was his constant exposure to deception that caused him to have a greater value for honesty, even though he didn't always practice it himself.

It was obvious that she didn't like him, but what he couldn't figure out was why. After all, he hadn't given her any reason not to. Hadn't he gone out of his way to be cordial to her and make her feel welcome? He'd forgiven her for throwing her drink at him, apologized unnecessarily, listened to her playing, kissed her hand, sought her out, left her a note, risked letting out a secret by seeing her, and even consumed her silly earth treat. She should be flattered that he was paying her, a lowly human, such attention. Didn't she know how much power and influence he had in the Empire? Maybe she did, and was just a little intimidated.

Meanwhile, Aura paced around her apartment in her new purple dress. It had been delivered rather late that morning, and after trying it on she became distracted again. It was now 1:45 and she'd have to go see Vreenak soon. He didn't say what time to come, and she could probably delay until 4:00 if she wanted. But after wondering for over an hour last night and all morning she was sick of speculating.

Was it possible that this had something to do with those "secret matters" he was here about? Not likely. It was clear that Vreenak had taken a shine to her, or at least thought she was amusing. She really hoped he wouldn't try to pursue a relationship or something. No way. He was way too old for her, and very unattractive. Moreover, he was a politician and she didn't like the way he kept grinning and staring at her, it made her feel . . . inferior.

At 2:00, she jumped up and marched determinedly out the door.

* * *

Aura and the Senator exchanged greetings. After the guards left them, they resumed the same seats they had taken the previous evening.

After a short pause, Vreenak began. "I suppose you want to know why you are here."

"Yes." Aura locked eyes with him and prepared herself for the worst.

The politician put his drink down on the table and stared at it. "Then I'll get straight to the point. You are a very charming female, Miss Miller, and I've become quite fond of you."

"That's what I was afraid of," she admitted, with a sigh.

Vreenak stood up and began to pace. "It is quite clear to me that you don't share my regard, but if you would allow me a little time to explain, I think you would agree that we are quite compatible. I highly doubt that you could find a better suitor."

"Suitor!" She repeated in horror. "Are you crazy?" He whirled around and glared at her.

"Why? Why am I so repulsive to you?" He demanded.

Civility went out the window as Aura matched his glare and raised her fingers to start counting. "One, you're creepy. Two you keep embarrassing me, and three you're way too old for me!"

"What? I'm not old! I'm only seventy-one!" he cried.

"Seventy-one! You could have been my grandfather!"

Vreenak forced himself to regain his composure. "Aura, it is common knowledge that Romulans live much longer than humans. Normally around two hundred years. Since you are now almost 30 we are at nearly the same point in our respective life spans."

Aura jumped up from her seat and shrieked. "How do you know how old I am! Have you been spying on me?"

"Please calm down, Miss Miller. Does it really surprise you that I have done a little research?"

Aura sat back down and poured herself a drink of the blue stuff. When Vreenak took a seat next to her she was tempted to splash it in his face. Instead, she shot him a hostile glance and took a sip. The drink was really strong, but she closed her eyes and forced herself to swallow it.

Vreenak noticed for the first time that she was very formally dressed, and that purple color was quite becoming with her golden brown hair and hazel eyes. He smiled when his eyes fell on her very human ears, but sadly they weren't hearing anything they liked. He crossed his arms and remained silent for a while.

Aura pondered the situation. Senator Vreenak was practically asking her to marry him. Evidently, she had made some sort of impression on him at the concert. So much so that he had looked up her history and taken pains to make sure they would meet again. He had even risked divulging his presence on the station for her sake. When she thought about it, it was really the most romantic thing that had ever happened to her. Too bad it had to be coming from a middle aged, scheming politician. But he was sitting there next to her, waiting for her answer. She ventured to look at him again. He was frowning and deep in thought. Losing hope, perhaps. It was kind of pitiful. Maybe she should give him half a chance.

"I don't have the luxury of time, Aura," he said miserably.

"I hardly know you."

"My responsibilities do not allow me to leave Romulus very frequently, so here's what I propose. I have a very large estate, on which there are several guest homes. You could assume one of them, whichever you like. You may spend your day however you wish, and when I have time, we can become better acquainted."

"Wouldn't that be politically dangerous?" she asked.

"It would, but politics no longer interest me. I do not like the way the situation is developing with the Dominion, and I want to take time to enjoy the finer points of Romulan culture, while its still there. It would be infinitely better if I could share it all with you."

"What if I don't-"

"Then you may leave whenever you wish." Aura had one question left.

"Why me?"

"Because you are lovely, talented and honest. You may not know me very well, Aura, but I know all about you, and not just from your personal records. Your face is very easy to read, and I find that quite engaging." He gave her a half-hearted smile.

"I will be leaving the station in a few hours, but I will give you a few days to think about what I said."


	8. Chapter 8: It's a FAKE!

The results were in, and it was a fake. Captain Sisko's data rod was a forgery, a disgraceful piece of manufactured evidence designed to dupe them into the war.

Senator Vreenak was livid. He had anticipated this outcome, but he was still shocked when his suspicions were confirmed. When Captain Sisko returned later that day, Vreenak did not hesitate to roast him. He held up the data rod and shouted harshly.

"It's a FAAAAAAAAAKE!"

Sisko was crestfallen and unable respond. What could he say anyway? Yes, it's a fake. Sorry I tried to trick you? He had no credibility left.

"I have to hand it to you, Captain," continued Vreenak. "I didn't think it was possible, but you managed to disappoint me after all. You really are an exemplary Starfleet officer; the very personification of the Federation's duplicity."

"No, don't blame the Federation. It had nothing to do with this, I was-"

"Really? I find that hard to believe," said the senator scornfully. "What's the matter, Captain? The war not going the way you expected? It's not enough that you have the rest of the quadrant's blood on your hands, now you've got to have ours too. Well I won't give you that, you disgusting scrap of a man. Neither will I give you back this data rod." He placed the clear blue rod back in its case and locked it inside a larger box. "If you need it, I'm sure you could always manufacture another one."

"What are you going to do now?" asked Sisko despondently. The Captain already had a pretty good idea what Vreenak would do, but he was still looking for a way to salvage the situation.

"I am going to expose this vile deception to the entire alpha quadrant! Then if you manage to survive your own disgrace, or the Dominion doesn't get you first, I hope that someday I might have the privilege to arrange for your assassination."

"Before you go, there is one more thing I would like to say…" *

* * *

"What an awful mess," said Aura miserably. What should she do? She was between a rock and a hard place. She had two choices, and neither of them sounded good.

Choice one: refuse Vreenak's offer. The good part was that she wouldn't have to be around him and would probably never see him again. She could continue on with her life the way it was. The bad part was that she would hurt his feelings.

Choice two: accept Vreenak's offer. The good part was that she'd be able to go to Romulus, to discover and experience all those mysterious things she used to wonder about. The bad part was that she'd have to spend a lot of time Vreenak, with a certain expectation. But he did say she could leave whenever she wanted. Honestly, it wouldn't be fair to go unless she planned to eventually marry him. Otherwise she'd just be giving him false hope.

This would not be the first time Aura had turned someone down. Like any other female, she had her share of crushes and had gone on several dates, but she had never been in a serious relationship. Now she was nearly thirty and still hadn't found "the one." Not that thirty was old, but it was sort of a milestone and a reminder that time was slowly passing. Maybe she was being too picky.

Vreenak, on the other hand, was being unrealistic. Did he really expect her to accept a virtual stranger? Yet he claimed to know her very well, and was about to explain why he considered himself a good match for her. Maybe she should have let him talk a little more. He must have been following her these past two years, and since it was well known Romulans are obsessed with intelligence gathering, he probably even knew what kind of toothpaste she buys. She didn't know whether to feel angry or complimented. She might give him a chance, but he would have to start all over again.

After an hour or so, she decided that she just couldn't do it. She might feel sorry for him, but she was not about to give up her whole life to spare his feelings. She didn't need a few days to think about it. She'd go tell him now, in person.

When she reached that part of the station, the Romulan guards (whom she mentally dubbed Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum) informed her that she would have wait in the hallway for a little while, since Senator Vreenak was in a meeting. One of the guards was summoned to the room. When the door opened she could hear raised voices:

_"Don't you understand? It is REAL!"_

She wondered what all the fuss was about. Two minutes later, Captain Sisko stumbled out of the room, looking very agitated. The remaining guard escorted Aura into the room.

"Sir, Miss Miller is here."

It must have been one heck of an argument. Vreenak looked positively furious, almost like he'd been struck by lightning. "Secure this box in the shuttle and tell Commander Ryek that we will be leaving immediately."

After the guards left, Aura cautiously walked over and asked, "Are you alright?"

He brusquely ran a hand over his face. "I have never been so enraged in my entire life. But Sisko will pay for this, as soon as I get back to Romulus."

"What happened?"

"He recorded a fabricated Dominion meeting onto a Cardassian data rod to try and trick us into the war."

"Why?"

"Because he got more than he bargained for when he blew up the wormhole. But I'm not going to let him use Romulan blood to clean up his mess."

"How…shocking." No wonder he was so angry.

"Yes, but I don't want to talk about that now." He took something from the desk and handed it to her. It was contact information.

"Senator…" she began, but he didn't let her finish.

"You will not be able to contact me until I get back to Romulus. That should take two or three days." He took her free hand in both of his hands as he spoke.

"But I don't-"

"We are ready to leave, sir." Aura jumped and Vreenak shot the guard an irritated look before he ducked back into the hallway.

"Just think about it, that's all I ask."

With a sigh, she gave in. "Alright." She saw his face brighten and felt her hand squeezed affectionately. Aura shook her head and looked away. She was too nice for her own good.

* * *

*Author's Note: Sisko is about to say "It is REAL!" If you haven't seen that Youtube video "It's a Fake, No it's Real" prepare to laugh. Watch it all the way through.


	9. Chapter 9: Space Dust

Four days later, it was all over. Vreenak was dead. According to the headlines, he was returning home from a diplomatic meeting with the Dominion when his shuttle exploded. The Romulans believed that the Dominion put a bomb on Vreenak's ship because he had uncovered an invasion plot. Consequently, the Romulan Empire declared war on the Dominion.

Back on Deep Space Nine, a certain violinist was hastily packing up her things. "This is insane. I have got to get out of here."

Four days ago Vreenak told her that Starfleet was trying to trick them into the war. Now he was dead and the Romulans were allied with Starfleet. She knew that his trip to the station had been secret. Did Sisko kill Vreenak? Was she the only one that knew about this?

Aura finished packing and bid her friends a hasty farewell. They would also be leaving, but not until tomorrow. Catherine could tell that her friend had been somewhat distracted lately and asked what the matter was, but Aura couldn't tell her. Maybe later, when the Dominion war was over, but not now. Now she had to keep her mouth shut and get as far away from the station as possible.

She boarded the transport vessel and made sure to sit apart from the other passengers. After watching the station dwindle away through her window she shed a few tears. The whole situation was so overwhelming. She couldn't believe it. He was dead. Her would-be suitor was nothing more than space dust. She may not have loved him, but she couldn't help but feel that it was unfair and horrible that he had to die like that.

When she got back to her home, she dumped all of her luggage in the living room and collapsed on the sofa. A few hours later she went through her bags and took out the contact information that Vreenak had given her and the pathetic reply that she had begun to compose. She placed them both on the table, turned on some music, got herself some coffee and sat down to mull over it all. It was so surreal. The concert, the jokes she shared with her friend, and the note. Then the proposal and all those hours she spent wondering what to do. Then a bomb comes along and puts an end to any further speculation. Oh well. At least she had not outright refused him as she planned to. At least she had left him with hope.

The End.


End file.
